| ![Show Contents]() Vowell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of VowellWhat does the name Vowell mean? The name Vowell is thought to be a nickname for 'the fowl.' "A West-country form of Fowell and Fowle, a fowl, a bird; compare Vivash and Visick for Fiveash and Fishwick. Especially compare Vowler for Fowler. The genitive of Vowle is Vowles; compare Brooks for Brook, or Williams for William, (a) Bapt. 'the son of Voel,' an ancient Welsh personal name. Just as Hoel became Howell, so Voel has become Vowell. It is probable that, so far as Vowell is concerned, (a) is the chief parent." 1 Early Origins of the Vowell familyThe surname Vowell was first found in Devon where they held the manor of "Fowelscombe, in this parish, the original seat of the Fowel family, created baronets in 1661." 2 Normandy was their origin; of this there is no doubt. "John, Robert, Hugh, Geoffry de Fauvel [were found in] Normandy, 1180-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). William Fauvel held from Oliver de Tracy, Devon, 1165. 3 The name changed to Fauel, Fouel, Voghill, Vowell, and Fowell; the family was seated at Bolters Combe, Devon, and from it descended the Baronets Fowell and the Vowells." 4 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included the following entries all in Oxfordshire: Walter le Fowel; Matthew le Fowel; and John le Fouel. 1 Early History of the Vowell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vowell research. Another 227 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1080, 1091, 1163, 1275, 1399, 1510, 1538, 1578, 1586, 1593, 1598, 1600, 1608, 1609, 1619, 1620, 1623, 1640, 1646, 1648, 1654, 1656, 1659, 1660, 1664, 1665, 1666, 1674, 1677, 1689 and 1692 are included under the topic Early Vowell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Vowell Spelling VariationsSound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Vowell family name include Fowell, Fowl, Fowall, Fowel, Phowel, Phowell, Vowell, Voules, Vowels, Vowels, Fowls, Fuggle, Foul, Vowl and many more. Early Notables of the Vowell family- Peter Vowell (died 10 July 1654) was an English schoolteacher and a Royalist who was found guilty of high treason for his part in Gerard's conspiracy, a plot to assassinate Oliver Cromwell, and hanged
Vowell Rankingthe United States, the name Vowell is the 9,489th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5
| Vowell migration to the United States | + |
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Vowell surname or a spelling variation of the name include:
Vowell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Vowell, who landed in Maryland in 1674 6
| Vowell migration to Australia | + |
Vowell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Charles Vowell, aged 42, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Caroline" 7
- Sarah Vowell, aged 17, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Caroline" 7
| Vowell migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Vowell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Mr. Vowell, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Trevelyan" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 28th March 1874 8
| Contemporary Notables of the name Vowell (post 1700) | + |
- Sarah Jane Vowell (b. 1969), American historian, author, journalist, essayist, social commentator and actress from Muskogee, Oklahoma, best known for her voice work as Violet Parr on The Incredibles series
- Jack Vowell (1927-2006), American politician, businessman, and academic
- Arthur Stewart Vowell, Canadian surveyor in British Columbia in 1898, eponym of the Vowell Commission and Glen Vowell, an Indian reserve community
- Arthur Wellesley Vowell (1841-1918), Irish-born, Canadian politician who represented Kootenay in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1875 to 1876
| Historic Events for the Vowell family | + |
Fraterville mine - Mr. Jacob L. Vowell (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 9
- Mr. Elbert Vowell (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 10
- Mr. Benjamin. M. Vowell (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 10
- Mr. George Vowell (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 10
- Mr. W. H. Vowell (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 10
- ... (Another 2 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Non ostento sed ostendo
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
- Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- South Australian Register Thursday 26th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Caroline 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/caroline1855.shtml
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- News paper article Fraterville Mine Disaster retrieved on 6th August 2021. Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/fraterville.htm
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